Connie Spanhake's Blog
November 16, 2020
Character Development
When I started writing Finding Me I wanted to portray strong female relationships. Each character is the polar opposite of the other but somehow they find a way connect.
Jenna: Okay, so I may be a bit of a rebel, and if my parents would have described me it would have been different. Their rendition would have been something like she’s a troublemaker, party girl, liar, and lazy. I’m not going to lie and say those things aren’t true. I have had a history of shoplifting. People would ask me, “Why did you do it?” and I really don’t have much of an answer except that there’s a thrill in not getting caught, besides I didn’t lift expensive items just little shit but to this day I’ve never heard the end of it. As for being a party girl who doesn’t like going to a good party?
Allie: She’s rambling on about being an interior designer and definitely looks like the artsy type. She is dressed in a long flowing skirt with colorful swirls along with a green halter top. She had huge gold hoop earrings peering out from her tri-colored curly hair that’s pulled back in a headband and she had a variety of charm bracelets dangling from her wrist. She seemed very relaxed and talked as though she had known us forever.
Cara: I couldn’t wait to get out of Psychology class. All of those first-year students have so much to learn. I know I should be more patient but this is my last year of college and I have put this class off until near the end of my studies. I figured that being a nurse will require more than just medical skills and having some background in psychology will help my career. It’ll probably help me too since I am definitely a Type A personality.
Kym: What would possess me to come to McClellan University? My family, that’s what. I hate being so far away from my family but I promised them that I would make them proud. One thing I know for sure is that America is very different from China. Ever since I was little my parent's plan has always been to groom me for America. My father has been tutoring me in my education and later at home for business. I speak fluent English and I do very well with numbers. My family owns a small market where they sell fruits and vegetables and for the past two years, I have been their bookkeeper.
Jenna: Okay, so I may be a bit of a rebel, and if my parents would have described me it would have been different. Their rendition would have been something like she’s a troublemaker, party girl, liar, and lazy. I’m not going to lie and say those things aren’t true. I have had a history of shoplifting. People would ask me, “Why did you do it?” and I really don’t have much of an answer except that there’s a thrill in not getting caught, besides I didn’t lift expensive items just little shit but to this day I’ve never heard the end of it. As for being a party girl who doesn’t like going to a good party?
Allie: She’s rambling on about being an interior designer and definitely looks like the artsy type. She is dressed in a long flowing skirt with colorful swirls along with a green halter top. She had huge gold hoop earrings peering out from her tri-colored curly hair that’s pulled back in a headband and she had a variety of charm bracelets dangling from her wrist. She seemed very relaxed and talked as though she had known us forever.
Cara: I couldn’t wait to get out of Psychology class. All of those first-year students have so much to learn. I know I should be more patient but this is my last year of college and I have put this class off until near the end of my studies. I figured that being a nurse will require more than just medical skills and having some background in psychology will help my career. It’ll probably help me too since I am definitely a Type A personality.
Kym: What would possess me to come to McClellan University? My family, that’s what. I hate being so far away from my family but I promised them that I would make them proud. One thing I know for sure is that America is very different from China. Ever since I was little my parent's plan has always been to groom me for America. My father has been tutoring me in my education and later at home for business. I speak fluent English and I do very well with numbers. My family owns a small market where they sell fruits and vegetables and for the past two years, I have been their bookkeeper.
November 14, 2020
Writers Are NOT Crazy
Writer’s Are NOT Crazy!
I love it when I leave the realities of the world and move into the world of my characters. Many people think that you, as the author, are in control of what happens with the characters and how the book progresses. In my experience, this is untrue. Sure, I can plan and sketch out a map of how the book will progress. I can decide on the personalities of my characters, who the protagonist will be, and who is the antagonist. I will also create a basic storyline. All those things are important BUT, once I am immersed in the plot of my book it becomes like a movie playing out inside of my head and I am merely the instrument that tells the story.
I remember writing a scene in my book, Dark Secrets, and I was upset that something terrible had happened to one of the characters. I closed my laptop and could not write for three days. My husband laughed and said, “But you’re the one who is writing the story. You decide what happens to your characters.” I, however, don’t see it that way. For characters to “come alive” and seem realistic, I absolutely must connect with those characters because that’s the only way that I can portray them authentically.
Two of my absolute favorite characters in this book are Darcy and the local town sheriff, Colin. Instead of trying to explain their relationship, here is a sneak peek from the book.
“Ahem! Darcy, is that you?” came a voice from the shore. Darcy froze and prayed she was imagining this. She cautiously turned around and saw Colin standing on the shore holding his hat in his hands. She cleared her throat, “Why are you here?” Colin tried to keep his eyes on Darcy’s and not linger to her bare body just beneath the water. “I could ask you the same thing,” Colin shouted to her. “This really isn’t any of your business,” Darcy yelled to him. Colin grinned, “I’m the sheriff, remember? Everything that goes on in this town is my business.”
“This is beyond ridiculous,” Darcy retorted. “Can you walk over by those trees and turn around so I can get out of the water and get dressed?” Colin smirked, “How do I know you won’t try to flee?” Darcy was seeing red, “Fine Officer, have it your way.” Darcy started walking out of the water and Colin’s throat went dry. He turned his back before he said or did something stupid.
“What’s the problem officer I thought you were afraid I’d flee?” Colin grimaced and said, “I may have exaggerated just a bit. Are you dressed yet?” There was no answer. Colin cleared his throat, “Darcy, are you decent?” Still no answer. He turned around and saw that Darcy was stomping off back towards the cabin. “Wait up,” he yelled. Darcy didn’t turn around but kept walking. Colin caught up to her just as she was walking up the steps of the porch to go inside.
Colin shouted, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You are trespassing on private property and I will charge you for trespassing and obstruction of justice.” Darcy shook her head getting more aggravated by the minute and walked into the cabin. Colin followed her inside just as Darcy grabbed some papers and shoved them at his chest. He lifted an eyebrow looking at her and then at the papers. It was the deed to the cabin along with a copy of the will.
When Colin had finished reading, he handed them back to her. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” he asked. Darcy glared at him, “Because it isn’t any of your business.” She crossed her arms in front of her trying not to shake in anger, “How did you know I was here anyway? You’re stalking me, aren’t you!” Colin laughed, “Sweetheart, you are quite full of yourself. I have better things to do with my time. I stopped here because I saw fresh tire tracks leading to the cabin and I knew this cabin had been deserted for years.”
Darcy stepped closer to him and squinted her eyes, “Well it’s not deserted anymore, and you sir are trespassing on my property. I would like it if you would leave.” Colin shook his head and looked smug, “Yes ma’am,” he said putting on his hat, “You know none of this would have happened if you would have just been upfront when we met instead of being so secretive.” Darcy could swear that steam was going to come from her ears. She stepped closer and poked Colin in the chest as she annunciated each word, “I. Am. None. Of. Your. Business.” Colin looked into her steely eyes and said seriously, “I’ll be seeing you, Darcy.” He sauntered out the door and into his car. He stuck his hand out in a wave as he drove away.
Connie Spanhake
I love it when I leave the realities of the world and move into the world of my characters. Many people think that you, as the author, are in control of what happens with the characters and how the book progresses. In my experience, this is untrue. Sure, I can plan and sketch out a map of how the book will progress. I can decide on the personalities of my characters, who the protagonist will be, and who is the antagonist. I will also create a basic storyline. All those things are important BUT, once I am immersed in the plot of my book it becomes like a movie playing out inside of my head and I am merely the instrument that tells the story.
I remember writing a scene in my book, Dark Secrets, and I was upset that something terrible had happened to one of the characters. I closed my laptop and could not write for three days. My husband laughed and said, “But you’re the one who is writing the story. You decide what happens to your characters.” I, however, don’t see it that way. For characters to “come alive” and seem realistic, I absolutely must connect with those characters because that’s the only way that I can portray them authentically.
Two of my absolute favorite characters in this book are Darcy and the local town sheriff, Colin. Instead of trying to explain their relationship, here is a sneak peek from the book.
“Ahem! Darcy, is that you?” came a voice from the shore. Darcy froze and prayed she was imagining this. She cautiously turned around and saw Colin standing on the shore holding his hat in his hands. She cleared her throat, “Why are you here?” Colin tried to keep his eyes on Darcy’s and not linger to her bare body just beneath the water. “I could ask you the same thing,” Colin shouted to her. “This really isn’t any of your business,” Darcy yelled to him. Colin grinned, “I’m the sheriff, remember? Everything that goes on in this town is my business.”
“This is beyond ridiculous,” Darcy retorted. “Can you walk over by those trees and turn around so I can get out of the water and get dressed?” Colin smirked, “How do I know you won’t try to flee?” Darcy was seeing red, “Fine Officer, have it your way.” Darcy started walking out of the water and Colin’s throat went dry. He turned his back before he said or did something stupid.
“What’s the problem officer I thought you were afraid I’d flee?” Colin grimaced and said, “I may have exaggerated just a bit. Are you dressed yet?” There was no answer. Colin cleared his throat, “Darcy, are you decent?” Still no answer. He turned around and saw that Darcy was stomping off back towards the cabin. “Wait up,” he yelled. Darcy didn’t turn around but kept walking. Colin caught up to her just as she was walking up the steps of the porch to go inside.
Colin shouted, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You are trespassing on private property and I will charge you for trespassing and obstruction of justice.” Darcy shook her head getting more aggravated by the minute and walked into the cabin. Colin followed her inside just as Darcy grabbed some papers and shoved them at his chest. He lifted an eyebrow looking at her and then at the papers. It was the deed to the cabin along with a copy of the will.
When Colin had finished reading, he handed them back to her. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” he asked. Darcy glared at him, “Because it isn’t any of your business.” She crossed her arms in front of her trying not to shake in anger, “How did you know I was here anyway? You’re stalking me, aren’t you!” Colin laughed, “Sweetheart, you are quite full of yourself. I have better things to do with my time. I stopped here because I saw fresh tire tracks leading to the cabin and I knew this cabin had been deserted for years.”
Darcy stepped closer to him and squinted her eyes, “Well it’s not deserted anymore, and you sir are trespassing on my property. I would like it if you would leave.” Colin shook his head and looked smug, “Yes ma’am,” he said putting on his hat, “You know none of this would have happened if you would have just been upfront when we met instead of being so secretive.” Darcy could swear that steam was going to come from her ears. She stepped closer and poked Colin in the chest as she annunciated each word, “I. Am. None. Of. Your. Business.” Colin looked into her steely eyes and said seriously, “I’ll be seeing you, Darcy.” He sauntered out the door and into his car. He stuck his hand out in a wave as he drove away.
Connie Spanhake
November 11, 2020
It Takes A Village
I’d like to think that I am a humble person. I don’t go around boasting or bragging about what I do. I definitely don’t think I am better than anyone else and if given the choice I would happily stay home alone enjoying the peaceful serenity of silence and just write.
I have been told that most writers are introverts. I would consider myself the same if given the option but the biggest lesson that I have learned about being an author is that you have to own it. You actually have to brag about what you do. You have to shout it from the rooftops because if you don’t, no one else will either. It’ll be uncomfortable, it may be way out of your comfort zone, it may even feel ridiculous but here is what happens. People will know you’re a writer. People will say “I’ve read your book.” People will invite you to events where you can sell your book. People will help you to be successful.
Remember the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?” Well, the same is true when you’re writing; it takes a village to build your career.
Finding MeConnie Spanhake
I have been told that most writers are introverts. I would consider myself the same if given the option but the biggest lesson that I have learned about being an author is that you have to own it. You actually have to brag about what you do. You have to shout it from the rooftops because if you don’t, no one else will either. It’ll be uncomfortable, it may be way out of your comfort zone, it may even feel ridiculous but here is what happens. People will know you’re a writer. People will say “I’ve read your book.” People will invite you to events where you can sell your book. People will help you to be successful.
Remember the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?” Well, the same is true when you’re writing; it takes a village to build your career.
Finding MeConnie Spanhake
